Saturday began mid morning doing some prep at the office before a midday wedding followed by lunch at a Chinese Restaurant and back for more work and the usual run of Vigil Masses for the weekend.

It was the weekend of the Holy Family so I sang John Bell’s ‘The Family’ after Communion. I had so many requests from wet-eyed parishioners for the source that it must have been OK. Clever guy, that JLB!

On my way into work I found one of my brothers on skype and had a brief conversation agreeing to ring back later. When I did call back the whole family was assembled at my mum’s place. It was a great surprise to see my twin brother Andy. Of course, I suspected that he would be there, but he is the only member not on skype and I hadn’t seen him for months. in addition I hadn’t caught sight of him in Bethan’s initial pan of the gathering. Seeing your family on the Feast of the Holy Family makes for good moments!

I was blessed by the few Cantors still in Tampa doubling up to take more than one Mass. I was able to thank the choir for their very generous gift to me and in return got a bag of chocs and cookies. I really must stop thanking people!

After the final Mass of the morning (actually the 12.30pm) I went out for lunch and then to Goodwill where I bought some cookbooks and a CD of Liszt organ music!  Then I returned to the office to do some work. the publishing company OCP has asked us to pilot some new psalm/gospel acclamation material. It only arrived a few days ago but I think I’ll start using it at Epiphany. I had do some work on it to make it usable for us … thanks to Finale music programmes!

After 4o years in the liturgical music business you might have thought I would have seen everything. So might I too, but at the start of tonight’s 7pm Mass the young Cantor stood up to sing and a slightly late-arrival woman approached her from behind and fingered her blouse as she was interested in the quality of the material. this so distracted me that I lost my place completely in the opening hymn but the dear lady then proceeded to the front benches ready to be a Eucharistic minister later on!

I spent the last hours of my downtime relaxing with a St Emilion and some cheese. Tomorrow will feel like I am finally on the holiday (which my colleagues have been enjoying for days already). All being well I’ll head off with the kayak.